Next Time
by SlingtheSlingshot
Summary: A dark and bittersweet tale of lovers who knew the right person to be with but just had to be at the wrong situation and wrong time. /SasuHina/ One-shot.


What a shame. We all became such fragile broken things.

"What happened to you?" He asks, dark eyes peering at her soul. The intensity of his stare that she had once openly admitted that she loved –probably still do –secretly – is at its max. When was the last time he looked at her like this? How long has it been, since he left _for the second time_? Hinata misses all of their moments; those tender times when he would say to trust him, and she would, those harsh times when they'd hear what the villagers would say about them; she misses it all…

But still, the hurt and pain from the broken trust and the lost love overcomes that longing. And so, with a sneer, she answers him, "I let myself go."

Sasuke frowns and fixes his stare on the trees around them. The forest truly is beautiful, if you don't think of the blood that had been shed and the dead bodies that it had caught. At the thought of beautiful, his eyes wander over to her. Her face barely changed, except for the emotions that are running through them. And it hurt because he knew it is his fault. Or is it, really?

Isn't it Kabuto's fault for using her to blackmail him? Or is it her fault because she made them both get attached –perhaps, _too_ attached –to each other? But then again, maybe it really is nobody's fault. It's probably the way it really is. Nothing changes the fact that he loves her. In his eyes, she's still his; forever.

So he is -not _was_, because he loves her still- concerned for her; concerned for what she'd done to herself in the past and what she's going to do in the future. His heart, torn and sore, has grown lonely and yet it still beats… for her. And he swears to his pride, he doesn't know what to do about her. But he knows what he wants to say. Two words come from his mouth, "I'm sorry."

It's as if those words set off something inside her, a crazed look upon her eyes. "Sorry? _Sorry?_ Well you know what; I'm fucking sorry too! I'm sorry I believed in you! I'm sorry everyone in Konoha pitied me when you left! You bastard!" And the tears from her eyes start to fall as his eyes become damp. Her knees met the ground.

He wanted to cry, to grovel at her feet, to lessen her misery. But how could he do those things if their situation is so cruel? How can he go on living this bittersweet life without her? He walked towards her as she looks at him like he was a haunting ghost of her past –which he is. He kneels, and wraps his arms around her petite body. Hugging her tightly, he began to start to speak.

"I'm sorry for all of that. But it couldn't be helped. You are my weakness. And they used you against me. I long for you, I miss you and yet I can't do anything." He tucks her head under his chin as she clutches his shirt and the painful sobs came. "I never wanted you to suffer. I wanted you to know that. Please, be happy, Hinata. Enjoy your life…"

In the midst of her tears, she shouts, her voice hurt, broken and muffled against his chest. "D-do you really think I can be h-happy without y-y-you? You must b-b-be happy without m-m-me, then? You truly are a b-bastard!"

Sasuke Uchiha _cries_, because he can't take it anymore. Her words hurt him too much because they're the truth. "I can't do anything anymore! This is how it is now! We can't go back to how things were! We've been damaged too much by the things that had happened! We've become such fragile, broken things, Hinata." It can't be undone. If it can be undone, wouldn't he have already done it?

"When c-c-c-can w-we ever be t-t-together, Sas-s-suke?" She asked, desperation seeping off of her voice. Why is it that even though they love each other, they can't be happy? Why is the world so unfair? What had they done to deserve this? Questions wreck her mind. Questions that will never be answered.

"In another lifetime, Hinata. We'll be happy together then, I promise."

And so, their tale won't end here. Love never stops.. because it only pauses... As it takes its time to start again.

_**Author's note: **_**Sad, I know. Drabble-ish too. But I wanted to write **_**something**_** for this pairing. Better one shots shall come in the future. B-) Gawd my verbs suck. Sorry. Still experimenting alot. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it somewhat. Leave a review~ :) And also, I would like to inform that I transferred this from an old account of mine. Thank you for those who faved it then.**


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